ABSTRACT
Previously thought to be confined to executives, burnout is common among the helping professions and is a state of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual exhaustion. Tiredness, difficulty in being able to concentrate and make decisions, headaches, feeling nauseous and emotionally low are just some of the effects of insomnia. ‘Stress is the psychological, physiological and behavioural response by an individual when they perceive a lack of equilibrium between the demands placed upon them and their ability to meet those demands, which, over a period of time, leads to ill-health.’ Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Anything with the word ‘psycho’ in it can seem daunting and has unfortunate connotations, but all it means is ‘the mind’. When busy, the opportunities to be able to think about, choose, buy, cook and eat healthy food may be reduced.
